To get students more involved in the ASU alumni community after graduation, the Alumni Association will be launching an online networking forum in March.
Students will be able to search an online database to explore majors and careers by talking to an ASU alumnus working in the student's field of interest.
"I can see this being a really valuable tool even for people who don't know what they want to do," said Cathie Rubins, director of marketing for the Alumni Association.
About half of ASU alumni live outside Arizona, and the new system is intended to help current students tap into that network, Rubins said.
Ken Behringer, treasurer for the ASU Alumni Association and general counsel for the Arizona Legislative Council, chose to participate in the association's networking program to stay in touch with students and the University, but also to give students an opportunity he didn't have.
"The biggest obstacle is translating what you're learning there into a job you can enjoy," he said. "You kind of have to experiment."
There is a particular interest from young alumni to help new graduates, Behringer added.
Rubins recently spoke to a few fine arts alumni who moved to New York after graduation and found their first year very difficult. But they are eager to help other alumni make that transition, she added.
"What they're really interested in is giving back to people," she said.
The new database will run as a partnership between Career Services and the Alumni Association. The association will manage the database, while Career Services will promote the program to students.
One of the biggest obstacles to the program's success is student awareness of the program and the need to explore options before graduation, said Elaine Stover, associate director of Career Services.
"Part of it is that people aren't necessarily thinking of what they're going to do after college," Stover said.
Networking is also useful because "it gives you so many sets of eyes and ears when searching for job opportunities," Stover said.
Students said the program would be useful and would likely be a success.
"I definitely think it's a good idea," said Martin Li, a biochemistry sophomore.
"Like me, I'm just searching, and hopefully when I get to the end of my major I'll know what I want to do."
Reach the reporter at elias.arnold@asu.edu.